The Unbound Blog Tour

Today I am honoured to be part of the blog tour for Victoria Schwab's The Unbound. The Archived was a fantastic read, and it's follow up is publishing on January 28th.

Victoria is stopping by with a list of books that are in her personal archive! Some great titles - 

TOP 10 BOOKS IN MY PERSONAL ARCHIVE

In talking about THE ARCHIVED series I often refer to the Archive itself, this repository of the dead, a place where a person's entire life, and all their memories, would be stored. And in thinking about that, my mind drifts to a more traditional archive, one with books. I often think that books can define us as much as anything. They speak not only to our tastes, but to what inspires us, to the kind of escapism we seek.

And so I thought for this post I would share the top 10 books in my personal archive, the ones that define me most. I hope that in the comments you'll take the chance to share a few of your defining books as well.

1. THE PRINCESS BRIDE by William Goldman

Adventure. Whimsy. Magic. Westley. A book full of sword fights and six-fingered men, dungeons and danger and friendship and villainy. This is one of my favorite stories ever told.

2. NEVERWHERE by Neil Gaiman

I wavered over which specific Neil Gaiman book to choose for this list. I knew there would be at least one. In fact, there are two. The first, Neverwhere, is a strange blend of magic and reality, the urban and the fairy tale and the fantastic. And while I struggle to sum up my feelings, the fact remains that I adore this book. And the second Gaiman title?

3. THE GRAVEYARD BOOK by Neil Gaiman

Set in a graveyard, dark and yet deceptively playful, this is simply one of my favorite books.

4. THE ONCE AND FUTURE KING by T.H. White

Elegant and epic.

5. GRACELING by Kristin Cashore

To me, the perfect kind of fantasy, one that is thorough without being overwhelming, with the kind of supernatural element that makes you wonder where you would fit. The way one wonders which Hogwarts house they'd be put into, I read and wondered what my grace might be. And Po remains to this day one of my favorite characters.

6. JONATHAN STRANGE AND MR. NORRELL by Susanna Clarke

This book is a tome. Those who have not read it perhaps will not understand the charm. Only those who've conquered it, committed to its strange mass and stuck with it to the final pages, tend to love it. This is the book that made me want to be a novelist...

7. WHERE THE SIDEWALK ENDS by Shel Silverstein

And this is the book--of poems--that made me want to be a writer. If you're a dreamer, come in...

8. HARRY POTTER AND THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX by J.K. Rowling

This dark, angsty, psychological installment of Harry Potter often ranks lower on people's HP lists, but it is my favorite by far. I don't know (well, I mean, I do know) what that says about me.

9. A SHORT HISTORY OF NEARLY EVERYTHING by Bill Bryson

Believe it or not, there was a time when I thought I'd be an astrophysicist. But science aside, Bill Bryson is by far my favorite voice when it comes to educational non-fiction. This book is a delight, and part of my personal canon.

10. HAMLET by William Shakespeare

I'm not an avid fan of Shakespeare, but Hamlet is without a doubt on the shelf of my personal archive. Murder, revenge, and some of the most delightful monologues. It doesn't hurt that now when I read it I picture David Tennant (thanks, Royal Shakespeare Company).

A huge thank you to Victoria for sharing (and having me be part of her tour). You can add The Unbound to your Goodreads , and pre-orders are available from Chapters, Amazon, and Barnes and Nobles (as well as your local bookstores). Be sure to visit Victoria on her website, or follow her on Twitter.

What books would make your personal archive? Let me know in the comments.